Handling Catastrophic Injuries from Truck Accidents in Orem

Catastrophic injuries change lives forever, usually leading to extensive medical treatments and long-term care. If you’re facing such a challenge, contact Flickinger Boulton Robson Weeks at (801) 500-4000 to discuss your path forward at a free consultation.

A truck accident can change your life in an instant. A large commercial truck crashing into your vehicle can leave you with severe injuries, expensive medical bills, and a long recovery ahead. You may be unable to work, care for your family, or even complete daily tasks without help.

The financial and emotional burden after a catastrophic injury can feel overwhelming. You may wonder how to get proper medical care, cover your expenses, and hold the responsible party accountable.

At Flickinger Boulton Robson Weeks, our Orem truck accident lawyers have helped many accident victims get the justice and financial compensation they deserve. Our goal is to help you rebuild your life and get the compensation you need to move forward.

In this article, we’ll explain common injuries from truck accidents, the long-term care they require, how compensation is calculated, and how our firm can support you during this difficult time.

Common Catastrophic Injuries in a Truck Accident in Orem

A truck accident can produce catastrophic injuries because of the sheer size and force of the vehicle. These injuries usually involve permanent or long-term damage, altering the victim’s life forever. Let’s take a closer look at three of the most common catastrophic injuries in a semi-truck crash.

Spinal Cord Injuries

One severe outcome of a high-impact truck accident is spinal cord damage. The sudden force can fracture vertebrae or sever nerves, leading to partial or complete paralysis. People with spinal cord injuries might lose the ability to walk or use their hands. 

They could also experience chronic pain, muscle spasms, or loss of sensation. Daily tasks like bathing, dressing, or working become challenging, and many need lifelong care or assistive devices such as wheelchairs.

Traumatic Brain Injuries

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) can occur when the head strikes part of the vehicle or when the brain is jolted violently inside the skull. TBIs range from concussions to severe brain damage.

Symptoms might include memory loss, difficulty concentrating, mood changes, or seizures. In serious cases, victims may slip into a coma or experience major personality changes. The path to recovery can be lengthy, requiring physical therapy, speech therapy, or assisted living. Some individuals may never fully regain their cognitive abilities, depending on the area of the brain affected.

Amputations

Truck accidents can crush limbs or cause severe enough tissue damage that amputation becomes necessary. An amputee faces the physical and emotional challenge of living without one or more limbs. 

Learning to use prosthetics can be costly, both in terms of money and time for rehabilitation. Even with advanced prostheses, daily activities might be more difficult. Emotional struggles are common, as a person must adjust to a significant change in their body and independence.

Long-Term Medical Care and Rehabilitation Needs

Handling a catastrophic injury involves much more than a short hospital stay. People may need long-term medical care, which can mean regular doctor visits, surgeries, therapy sessions, and specialized equipment. Knowing the scope of these needs is vital for both recovery and any legal claims.

Extended Hospital Stays and Surgeries

Immediately after a severe injury, you might spend weeks or months in the hospital. Surgeries for spinal stabilization or brain swelling might be required. 

Even after discharge, you could need follow-up surgeries to address complications such as infections or hardware failures. Each operation carries risks and adds to the cumulative medical cost.

Rehabilitation Therapies

Physical therapy is common for spinal cord injuries or amputations, aiming to preserve muscle strength and improve mobility. Occupational therapy can help you relearn daily tasks like cooking or dressing. 

If you suffer a traumatic brain injury, speech or cognitive therapy might be necessary to reclaim language skills, memory, or reasoning. These sessions can last for years, as progress is often slow and incremental.

Mental Health Support

Catastrophic injuries can lead to depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder. A therapist or psychologist can provide coping strategies, helping you adjust to a new lifestyle.

Counseling may also support family members, who face emotional and financial stress while caring for someone with a life-changing injury.

Assistive Devices and Home Modifications

Some individuals need wheelchairs or prosthetics to regain independence. High-quality prosthetics can be very expensive, and they might need replacement over time. Others require specialized beds, lift chairs, or communication devices. 

Home modifications like wheelchair ramps, widened doorways, or grab bars in bathrooms are also frequent expenses. Insurance might not cover all of these adaptations, leaving victims to bear significant costs.

Lifelong Medical Monitoring

Even after you feel completely fine, you might need ongoing check-ups to prevent complications.

For example, amputees may deal with phantom limb pain or issues with prosthetic fitting. TBI survivors may need periodic neurological evaluations to track any decline or manage new symptoms.

Vocational Training

A catastrophic injury can end a person’s previous career path. Vocational rehabilitation services can help you explore new job skills compatible with your physical or cognitive abilities. This can provide a sense of purpose and financial stability, although the transition is often challenging.

Financial and Emotional Burdens

All these long-term needs come with a steep price, financially and emotionally. Many people struggle to pay for the best treatment without legal compensation. The emotional toll can strain marriages, parent-child relationships, or friendships. Support groups and counseling can help, but the challenges remain.

By understanding the full scope of long-term care, you can better assess what type of settlement or court award might be fair. Insurance companies may try to downplay future costs, offering a quick settlement that does not cover continued therapy or surgeries. Consulting professionals who understand catastrophic injuries will help ensure you receive the resources you need for the long road ahead.

Calculating Compensation for Catastrophic Injuries 

Obtaining a fair settlement or verdict for a catastrophic injury is more complex than in a typical minor accident case. Because the injuries are severe and often permanent, the compensation should reflect both present and future needs. Below are factors considered in calculating compensation.

Medical Bills

The most immediate cost is medical treatment. This includes emergency care, hospitalizations, surgeries, medications, and follow-up visits. Catastrophic injuries can easily lead to hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars in medical expenses over a lifetime. 

When filing a claim, we consider not just current bills but also anticipated expenses for ongoing therapies or future surgeries.

Loss of Income

Serious injuries can keep you out of work indefinitely. You may lose wages during your recovery or be unable to return to the same job. If your injuries are permanent, you might never earn the same income again. 

Experts in vocational rehabilitation can estimate how your reduced earning capacity impacts your overall finances. Including that in your claim ensures you are not left facing financial struggles down the road.

Pain and Suffering

Unlike medical bills or lost wages, pain and suffering are intangible. Yet they hold significant weight. Catastrophic injuries can bring chronic pain, emotional stress, and loss of enjoyment of life. 

You might no longer participate in hobbies you love or take family trips without hardship. Although harder to quantify, courts and insurers recognize the importance of compensating for this immense loss in quality of life.

Home and Vehicle Modifications

If you need a wheelchair or prosthetics, you might have to modify your home. That can include installing ramps, widening doorways, or adding stair lifts. You may also need a specially outfitted vehicle. The costs of these modifications can be substantial. Including them in your claim helps ensure your living environment accommodates your disability.

Caregiving Services

Some injuries require a caregiver to assist with daily tasks. Whether it is a family member who leaves their job to provide care or a professional home health aide, these services cost money. Factoring in the costs of caregiving is crucial to avoid financial hardship as you manage life with a disability.

Future Costs

Because catastrophic injuries often involve lifelong changes, future expenses form a big part of any claim. We rely on medical experts to estimate how a condition may progress. If your spine injury worsens or if you need repeated prosthetic fittings, those potential expenses should be included. 

This forward-looking approach helps prevent a scenario where you exhaust your funds years later, with no recourse.

Punitive Damages

In rare cases, if the defendant’s actions are extremely reckless or intentional, punitive damages may be awarded. 

These are not meant to compensate for your losses directly but to punish wrongful behavior. For example, a trucking company that knowingly allowed an impaired driver on the road could face punitive damages.

Putting it all together, calculating compensation for catastrophic injuries is a detailed process. By considering both current and future costs, and the non-financial harms like emotional distress, you can present a strong case for full and fair recovery.

How Our Firm Supports Clients with Catastrophic Injuries in Orem

At Flickinger Boulton Robson Weeks, we understand that catastrophic injuries can disrupt every aspect of your life. Our goal is to guide you through the legal process and advocate for the support you need to rebuild. Here is how we approach cases involving life-changing injuries.

Compassionate Consultation

First, we listen to your story. We want to understand how your injuries happened and how they affect your day-to-day life. By understanding your physical, emotional, and financial challenges, we can tailor our strategy to your unique situation. 

Our office is known for its warm environment, reflecting the community spirit near the Oquirrh Mountains. We bring that same care to each person who walks through our doors.

Deep Investigation

Truck accidents often involve multiple parties, from the driver to the trucking company, and even third-party maintenance providers. 

We’ll thoroughly investigate whether the driver was following rules, if the company neglected vehicle maintenance, or if the truck had defective parts. Our firm gathers evidence such as black box data, inspection logs, and witness accounts. We will gather enough evidence to strengthen your claim and hold all responsible parties accountable.

Collaboration with Medical Experts

Because your injuries are severe, we consult with doctors, physical therapists, or mental health professionals who specialize in catastrophic conditions. 

Their expertise can clarify the extent of your injuries, the treatments you need, and how your daily life is impacted. This medical insight helps us calculate a claim that includes future procedures, rehab, and assistive devices.

Negotiating with Insurers

Insurance adjusters often underestimate the long-term costs of catastrophic injuries. We handle communications with them, pushing back against lowball settlements. 

We present hard evidence showing your ongoing medical needs, loss of earning capacity, and overall pain and suffering. Our negotiation strategy aims for a settlement that covers these broad expenses. If the insurer refuses to be fair, we are ready to go to court.

Courtroom Experience

Our firm has secured large settlements in personal injury and wrongful death cases, demonstrating our readiness for trial. We organize expert testimony, demonstrate the impact of your injuries, and present your case in a clear, persuasive way. This thorough preparation can also pressure insurers to settle before trial, knowing we are not afraid to litigate.

Ongoing Support

Beyond legal matters, we know you might need help finding medical providers or understanding how to adapt your home. Our Orem truck accident lawyers will give you personalized attention instead of treating you as just another case file.